The document points out that more than 800 amalgamated hromadas (AHs) have been formed in Ukraine, primarily in rural areas, which for the first time during the years of independence received direct budgetary financing of their own infrastructure (UAH 1 billion – in 2016, 1.5 billion – in 2017, 1,9 billion – in 2018). Such state support enabled hundreds of kilometres of water pipes to be built, streets illuminated, hundreds of schools, kindergartens repaired, new football fields and sports halls opened…

It was stated that urban AHs have actively joined the development of rural territories included in the structure of these hromadas.

“The fears of many decentralisation opponents, that people will need to travel far to get certificates, have ended in a complete fiasco. The administrative service centres, opened in hromadas, the right of starostas to provide certificates and perform certain notarial acts have eliminated certificate-related problem as such. In some AHs, local ASCs provide services to city residents, who do not want to wait in queues in the city,” the report indicates.